A POWER PACKED SUNFLOWER PACKAGE

By Corné van der Westhuizen, Agronomist, Pannar Seed

South African producers can plant Pannar's sunflower range with peace of mind, knowing that these hybrids possess the best genetic potential and technology on the market. Pannar's sunflower hybrid package performs well across all the sunflower production regions of South Africa. Its comprehensive package includes a complete range of conventional and Clearfield^® Plus hybrids and delivers excellent, stable performance and outstanding risk management.

Hybrid Performance

Pannar's range of high yielding hybrids maintains an outstanding performance record in the field trials of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC). Proven leaders in stability, these hybrids have delivered five out of the top ten hybrids for three consecutive years.

The conventional and Clearfield^® Plus sunflower package is renowned for its performance and stability. Table 1 shows the yield probability as a percentage of the 2017/18 season, while Table 2 shows it as an average of the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons. It provides a good indication of the hybrids' anticipated stability and reliability.

Hybrid Recommendations

Choosing a suitable hybrid package is one of the most critical and challenging management decisions farmers make each year. It is important to choose proven performers based on data from multiple years and trials across a large homogeneous area, to rule out variation and improve performance forecasts. Yield, stability and risk hedging all play an important role when selecting a hybrid. This is complemented by a hybrid's agronomic traits and disease risk profile. Select a hybrid package with a variety of growth classes to diversify risk, and phase in new hybrids gradually. Requirements for hybrids differ from region to region.

• Northwestern Free State (topsoil <10% clay): High-potential hybrids PAN 7080 and PAN 7160CLP serve as core plantings in the light sandy soil of the northwestern Free State and North West. These are complemented by PAN 7100 or PAN 7102CLP.
• North West and Limpopo (topsoil >10% clay): In the western and Limpopo production regions, the conventional hybrid PAN 7100 and the Clearfield^® Plus hybrid PAN 7160CLP are recommended as the main plantings. PAN 7080 and PAN 7057 as conventional hybrids and PAN 7156CLP as Clearfield^® Plus hybrid, respectively, can be used as a package with each of the main hybrids.
• Cooler, temperate production regions: Clearfield^® Plus hybrids PAN 7160CLP and PAN 7102CLP are recommended as the core hybrids in the cooler, temperate production region. If a conventional hybrid is planted, PAN 7080 is the best choice, if planted on time.

For more information, contact the author on 082 570 8240.